Embodiments of the invention relate generally to brush seals and, more particularly, to segmented brush seals having a plurality of brush bristles angled with respect to an end of a backplate. Such an arrangement improves pressure balance and backplate support for the brush bristles, thereby preventing or reducing damage to brush bristles adjacent ends of the brush seal segments. Such an arrangement also reduces leakage through segment gaps to improve performance of the brush seal.
Known segmented brush seals may include segments having radially-oriented or angled brush bristles. The backplates of such segments typically have ends parallel to the brush bristles. Gaps will generally exist where segment ends meet to avoid arch-binding the segments in operation, resulting in increased brush seal radial clearance. As a consequence, there will be direct leakage paths through the gaps between brush seal segments, resulting in more leakage and a decrease in seal efficiency. In addition, brush bristles adjacent a segment end may fall into the gap and get damaged from lack of support and less pressure balancing and/or from rotor excursion, which both increases leakage and causes instability of nearby brush bristles, further decreasing the efficiency of the brush seal and inducing extensive bristle damage.